Title: Candid
Author: Vesper (Regina)
E-mail: vespertanmer@yahoo.com
Warnings: adult themes, sexiness
Category: Fluff, fluffy fluff fluff...I think...yep, fluff.
Codes: R/S
Summary: Before the party.
Disclaimer: Star Trek is owned by Paramount.
Website: http://www.vespertanmer.com
Archival: Permission to Linguistics Database and Warp 5 Complex
(EntSTCommunity). Anyone else, please link to my website.
Notes: Inspired by the E-Bay candid photos.

*

A dark head with wet, spiky hair popped around the edge of a door
and watched the occupant of the room brush her hair for a few
seconds before saying, "What time did we need to be there,
Hoshi?"

Hoshi didn't bother looking away from the mirror.

"Starts at nine, Malcolm."

"Oh, right."

He disappeared.

What the--

Hoshi stared at the mirror and at the little crease appearing
between her eyebrows.

"Malcolm!" she yelled.

"What?"

"Why are you asking me? You've been talking about this for
weeks!"

Malcolm's head popped back around the door, a wide grin on his
face. He raised his hand and made a tick mark in the air with his
finger.

Hoshi rolled her eyes.

"Stop wasting time, Malcolm."

He waggled his eyebrows at her, the insufferable grin still in
place.

"Couldn't resist, love," he said, "you just looked so involved--
feeling a bit like Narcissus tonight?" His eyes drifted down her
body, lingering in certain places with obvious relish. He
whistled appreciatively, then said, "Narcissus never had your
body."

Hoshi snorted. "You make a poor Echo. Go back to your bathroom;
I need my mirror time."

He laughed and said, "Narcissist." He left quickly before he
could receive the full strength of the glare she shot him.

"Perv!" she called after him, not irritated in the slightest.

His loud laugh made her smile. Her reflection's eyes blinked
brightly at her, slightly crinkled at the corners. If she knew
her husband, she knew exactly what he would say next. She mouthed
the words even as he shouted back, "You married me!"

Hoshi left the bathroom, noticing that Malcolm had picked up her
dress from the foot of the bed and draped it on a hanger, then
hooked it over the top of the bathroom door. She shook her head
at this further evidence of Malcolm's inherent neatness. She
pulled it off the hanger and over her head. She was placing the
hanger in the closet after fastening the dress when Malcolm's
voice rang through the house again.

"Hoshi!"

He sounded a tad frustrated.

"What?"

"I can't find my--oh, never mind!"

She smiled and went back into the bathroom, adjusting the gauzy
top on the way.

A moment later, Malcolm appeared, buttoning the cuffs of a light
blue shirt. He said, "Thank you, love."

"You're welcome."

Hoshi finished applying her lipstick and turned to look at him,
noting that his hair was dry now. She whistled, long and low; he
looked up, surprised.

She cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head. "What? Can't I express
my appreciation?"

"Any time. For my part, I much preferred the way you looked
before."

"Well, I can't exactly go to a party dressed in my underwear, can
I?" She took a look at the contemplative purse of his lips and
said quickly, "Don't answer that."

He narrowed his eyes at her, but said nothing.

She turned back to the mirror and adjusted her hair by flipping it
over her shoulder. She said, "You know what might look good,
Malcolm?"

"What?"

She flashed him a bright smile and stepped closer to him, placing
a hand on his chest.

"If you wore that leather jacket."

"Can't resist a man in leather, eh, Hoshi?"

"Oh, I can resist a man in leather; I just can't resist you in
leather."

She smiled up at him, eyes sparkling.

"Good idea." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and said, "Be
right back."

She took the opportunity to reach for a bottle of perfume and
dabbed a little on. She left the bathroom and went into the main
room, where she found Malcolm putting on his shoes.

"Ready, Malcolm?"

"Almost."

He stood up and she walked toward the door, picking up a small
jeweled handbag on the way. She opened it, checking its contents
and Malcolm paused behind her.

He leaned forward, then said, "Mmm. What is that?"

She answered calmly, her attention still on the purse, "The
perfume you bought me."

He moved closer, pulling back the hair from her neck, pushing it
aside to reveal her ear. He brought his lips down close to it and
murmured, "No bloody fair. You expect me to go all night smelling
that? You know what it does to me."

"It'll give you something to look forward to."

"Or something to savor now."

He nuzzled her ear and Hoshi tried to suppress a shiver. She
clicked the purse shut and said, "We don't have a now, Malcolm.
We need to leave."

"Do we?"

She felt the slide of his tongue against earlobe and her eyelids
involuntarily started to close.

"Malcolm."

"Hmm?"

"Don't start what you don't have time to finish."

He let go of her earlobe and groaned.

"Oh, bloody--" The rest of what he said was lost as Hoshi
reached up and pulled him down with a hand behind his neck, giving
him a long and thorough kiss. When she pulled away, he had a
glazed look in his eyes.

She said, "Come on, Malcolm." She patted him on the cheek and
turned away, heading towards the door again.

Malcolm shook his head, sense coming back into his eyes and
followed after her.

He said, "I'm holding you to that promise."

"Oh, I expect you to."

"Good."

Hoshi opened the door, then looked back at Malcolm.

"After you."

He gave her a confused look, but went through. As he passed she
reached out and slapped him on the bottom.

"Ow! Hoshi!"

He gave her glare, only to see her writing an invisible tick mark.

"You cheeky--" he sputtered for a third word.

She swept past him, out the door, shutting it firmly. She glanced
back at him smugly and said, "You like me that way."

He said, "You'll pay for that!"

She retorted, "Just try!"

Smack!

Hoshi's voice, slightly outraged and bubbling with laughter,
whooped, "Malcolm!"

"Tit for tat, Hoshi. Tit for tat."

End.